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From: Ian Bennett <ibennett@mail.med.upenn.edu>
To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-health@literacy.nifl.gov>
Subject: [NIFL-HEALTH:3766] Re: Message About UN Intl. Literacy Day
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Thank you for this information, this is great stuff. How do you sign up for
the WOMENLIT listserv?
Ian Bennett
At 06:48 AM 9/7/2002 -0400, you wrote:
>The following message, long and in unedited stream-of-consciousness
>format, was posted to the WOMENLIT listserv on Thursday. It is
>cross-posted here because women's issues cut across so many other areas of
>literacy and it may be of interest to other listserv subscribers.
>
>
>Colleagues,
>
>Some of you were good enough to contribute on this listserv ((WOMENLIT)
>your current thinking about women's issues in literacy. To show my
>appreciation, in unpolished fashion here is feedback (a lengthy posting)
>on International Literacy Day activities at the United Nations yesterday.
>
>First, the Educational Testing Service and the AAUW Educational Foundation
>are co-sponsoring a symposium in Washington, D.C., November 15-17 called:
>International Perspectives: Global Voices for Gender Equity, A Symposium
>To Explore How Women Create Change. Policy-makers, scholars, researchers,
>and practitioners are invited to explore how women have used their
>education to address four key global issues, especially in the developing
>countries: literacy improvement, peace education and conflict resolution,
>governance, and education for people with disabilities. The keynote
>speaker will be Dr. Mamphela Ramphele, managing director in charge of
>health, education, social protection, and information technology at the
>World Bank. Registration is encouraged by September 16. Forms can be
>downloaded from http://www.aauw.org/7000/ef/symposium.html), or contact
>Dawn Kepets at the AAUW Education Foundation, intsymp@aauw.org, for
>information.
>
>Second, I did have the opportunity to present some of your views at the
>afternoon workshop on Gender. The points I chose to stress were these:
>(a) In developing countries, just teaching the reading and writing
>mechanics is not enough. There is a need for functional context
>programming that recognizes that women have many roles, and that some
>require other basic skills. (b) Programming for women as parents and
>mothers, while important, should not be limited to that. Women have the
>right and need for programming as women, whatever their interests, roles,
>and goals. Overemphasis on parenting and on family literacy, especially
>in regressive political times, tends to reinforce old stereotypes. There
>is a need for institutions of policy, research, and curricular development
>to become more aware of women's issues and to ACT on them -- for purposes
>of empowering women. (c) There is a need for change in leadership
>structures and teaching and learning systems -- so as to be more
>responsive to the problems that block women's access to programs.
>Nearly all of the other points brought up in the listserv dialogue were
>mentioned in one way or another in the Gender group. On an international
>basis, while women share some of the same access and participation
>problems as men, they have some that are unique: family violence, abuse,
>in many countries pregnancy and marriage, lack of low-cost, quality
>childcare services, and so on. An issue that got special attention, as an
>American issue, was the problem of safety, that many women, especially
>minority women in poor communities, are afraid to leave their homes to
>attend classes for fear of being assaulted or raped. The group felt,
>however, that while women everywhere face the same problems with regard to
>program access, planning groups should always keep in mind that needs are
>culture specific and require different goals and curriculum from one
>country or locale to another. Nothing new, really in any of the discussion.
>
>Other workshops focused on workforce education, conflict resolution,
>language and ethnicity, and families and literacy. Each group discussed
>its topic with reference to principles of best practice (for marginalized
>groups), environmental factors (e.g political, religious) that impede the
>power of literacy to affect positive social change, how the envirnoment
>for literacy work has changed as a result of 9/11, and innovative
>approaches for dealing with the challenges. I didn't hear anything new;
>most of you could generate the same lists. But, while the outcome of the
>meetings was mostly old-hat, it may nevertheless help to inform future
>U.N. work and thinking as it rededicates itself to its "education for all"
>agenda. The U.N.'s expressed goal is to achieve a 50% improvement in
>literacy, especially for women, worldwide -- by the year 2015.
>
>Here are key points made by the morning panelists:
>
>Mongolian Ambassador (chair) - Illiteracy breeds injustice, violence,
>poverty, bigotry, intolerance. Literacy is a key to overcoming any of
>these. Literacy = liberty = social justice and human dignity.
>
>U.N. Assistant Secretary General (speaking for the Secretary
>General). Talked about literacy largely in terms of reading. Strongly
>emphasized issues of access to education and the global importance of
>seing the value of education for women, not just because women benefit but
>because families, communities, and nations do. He also stressed that
>literacy is prerequisite for peace, bridging the gap between rich and
>poor, gender equality, and so on. He spoke of literacy for both girls and
>boys, and men and women, as a "right", which is at the heart of the U.N.
>"education for all" movement.
>
>UNESCO rep - Lack of access to programs stands as a great problem
>worldwide. To be "illiterate" is to be "unfree." One size doesn't fit
>all -- programs need to be different for men and women. Learners need to
>take a more active involvement and help shift literacy agendas.
>
>VERIZON rep - Literacy is the "signature focus" of Verizon worldwide.
>Spoke of literacy largely in terms of "reading and writing." Showed a
>video (same as last year) that stated that 800 million adults are
>"illiterate" worldwide, that emphasized the importance of literacy for
>girls and for ethnic groups, that advocates eliminating gender disparities
>in school settings, that promotes policies to support gender equality and
>"education for all," and that calls for commitments from government,
>foundations, business, and individuals.
>
>Rep for NYC's Mayor Bloomberg - Literacy ensures diversity, a hallmark of
>democracy. It helps develop common knowledge and encourages respect for
>diversity rather than fear. Literacy defined again as "reading." Noted
>that in NYC today, 46% of New Yorkers are first-generation foreign
>born. 200 languages and dialects are spoken here, making the learning of
>English crucial. Literacy is essential to empower people. Despite all of
>the languages and diversity of NYC, it's important to keep in mind that
>the City didn't crumble as a result of 9/11; it came together.
>
>U.S. Department of Education Rep (Richard LaPointe for Carol
>D'Amico). From OVAE, now works with Carol D'Amico. His points: There's
>hardly anything more important than promoting the cause of literacy and
>democracy. Spoke largely in terms of children. Important issues: how we
>*understand" literacy and how we "define" it. Literacy enables people to
>lead decent and responsible lives. Literacy transcends reading and writing
>-- it is linked to almost every aspect of public and private life. It is
>the essential first step for individuals and helps shape the way
>individuals use their minds. It is a key ingredient of freedom. Fully
>realized, it gives us the freedom to go where our hearts
>whisper. Literacy gives us the power to decide what kind of a people we
>will be.
>
>International Reading Association rep - announced the 2002 UNESCO award
>winners, selected by an international jury. The awards will be announced
>in the countries of the winners on September 8th. The five winners were
>from Ethiopia, Uganda, Pakistan, and Egypt (2). Among the donors for the
>cash awards were Japan and Korea.
>
>Ambassador Chowdbury - Gave heavy emphasis on importance of literacy for
>women, the relationship between literacy/education and the promotion of
>peace and understanding, and the role of literacy in creating respect for
>diversity internationally.
>
>Sr. Ed. Advisor Africa Region, World Bank - (formerly Literacy, UNESCO) -
>Poverty is the most important worldwide problem today, especially in
>African countries, and literacy is one of the keys to overcoming it. In
>Africa, the majority of the population is "illiterate", not just groups on
>the fringes. After independence, there were few primary schools, but
>being aware of importance of literacy to nation building, they moved to
>put primary schools in place -- and by the 1980s had brought primary
>school enrollments up to 80%. Then from the 1980s to 2000, primary
>education stagnated and literacy programs died. They're now back to where
>they were 30 years ago. In Africa, there MUST be effective adult
>education and ltieracy programs -- listen to the people, use the languages
>they understand, and adjust programs to fit their needs. Also keep in
>mind that the best programs aren't necessarily those delivered by government.
>
>LaPointe - Dept of Education - has moved over from OVAE to Carol D'Amico's
>office where he has responsibility for technical and secondary
>education. Years ago he worked under Secretary of Education Bell during
>the Nation at Risk time. Two most important goals of this administration,
>he said, are establishing high standards for all students, and
>accountability -- have high expectations, standards, rigorous content,
>good leadership, etc. In response to questions raised by the literacy
>community (what the administration believes): Literacy is critical to
>planning and building strong communities, leadership and financial support
>is important, it's important to serve young people well first time
>around. The Department recognizes that adult literacy is important but we
>should come to grips with what we teach adult learners and establish
>elements of accountability. (Audience: Someone pointed out that
>accountability and standards must be carefully applied and understood --
>to lay these on programs that have too few resources to build a good
>program is to blame the victim.) Thinks the field is lacking in research,
>and more is needed that is "evidence-based."
>
>International Reading Association (Lesley Morrow) - Places high importance
>on the necessity of professional teacher development. All research shows
>that kids do better in schools with strong teacher development
>programs. Noted that the administration's Reading First Acts target funds
>on marginalized kids and communities. Noted also that professional
>development for teachers comes in many forms: study groups, development of
>materials for study groups, reading cultures, reading coaches (New Jersey
>recently hired 100 reading coaches to work with neediest kids), and
>workshops. While teachers are the most important ingredient in the
>learning of kids, she said, families are critical to all professional
>development efforts. We need to teach parents how to read and to do
>supportive things with kids.
>
>Sherrie Claiborne, COABE - But we must have funding if we are to undertake
>professional development activities. Can't do it on the resources we've got.
>
>Calvin Miles - VALUE - spoke in terms of "reading and writing." Emphasized
>importance of access -- especially getting the access message to small
>businesses. Also stressed that there is inadequate funding for programs
>-- and if this situation doesn't improve, good people are going to leave
>the field. (This latter point received more applause than any other
>comment by any panelist.)
>
>My own sizing up: The conference, while well-intended and perhaps
>appropriate for a "celebration", was largely the converted talking to the
>converted. Little was new. Plenty of slogans and banners and good
>intentions and uplifting statements. Highlight of the day: poems and
>writings about 9/11 read over lunch by 11 NYC-area adult learners! There
>wasn't a dry eye in the house. We need to figure out how to help VALUE do
>what it is uniquely equipped to do. Two figures cited cited during the
>course of the day were that worldwide women account for 64% of adults
>needing literacy help, and that 1- in 7 people have low basic
>skills. While these are probably okay as worldwide ballpark figures, it
>isn't clear what the numbers include, and they aren't very helpful
>indicators from the standpoint of targeting funds or designing effective
>programs.
>
>Based on what I heard at the U.N. and what I read from the listserv
>contributions, I believe we need to be much clearer about which issues and
>obstacles to service are UNIQUELY women's issues, not just issues shared
>by both genders. And I believe we need to think and plan for strategies
>and programs that take those unique differences into account. The point
>from the listserv postings that I found most compelling in this regard is
>that we need to do things that make policy, research, and curriculum
>development organizations more cognizant of women's issues and to
>encourage them to act on that awareness.
>
>Finally, thanks to everyone who took time to share their thoughts. CAAL
>plans in the coming months to sponsor a symposium on women's issues in
>adult education and literacy, with a U.S. focus.
>
>--
>
>Council for Advancement of Adult Literacy
>1221 Avenue of the Americas - 50th Fl
>New York, NY 10020
>212-512-2362, fax 212-512-2610
>
>--
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